A scanning electron microscope objective lens system is disclosed, which includes: a magnetic lens, a deflection device, a deflection control electrode, specimen to be observed, and a detection device; in which, The opening of the pole piece of the magnetic lens faces to the specimen; the deflection device is located in the magnetic lens, which includes at least one sub-deflector; the deflection control electrode is located between the detection device and the specimen, and the deflection control electrode is used to change the direction of the primary electron beam and the signal electrons generating from the specimen; the detection device comprises the first sub-detector for detecting the back-scattered electrons and the second sub-detector for detecting the second electrons. A specimen detection method is also disclosed.

An improved source conversion unit of a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. The source conversion unit comprises a first micro-structure array including a plurality of micro-structures. The plurality of micro-structures is grouped into one or more groups. Corresponding electrodes of micro-structures in one group are electrically connected and driven by a driver to influence a corresponding group of beamlets. The micro-structures in one group may be single-pole structures or multi-pole structures. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same radial shifts from an optical axis of the apparatus. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same orientation angles with respect to their radial shift directions.

A scanning electron microscope objective lens system is disclosed, which includes: a magnetic lens, a deflection device, a deflection control electrode, specimen to be observed, and a detection device; in which, The opening of the pole piece of the magnetic lens faces to the specimen; the deflection device is located in the magnetic lens, which includes at least one sub-deflector; the deflection control electrode is located between the detection device and the specimen, and the deflection control electrode is used to change the direction of the primary electron beam and the signal electrons generating from the specimen; the detection device comprises the first sub-detector for detecting the back-scattered electrons and the second sub-detector for detecting the second electrons. A specimen detection method is also disclosed.

A Wien filter and a charged particle beam imaging apparatus are provided. The Wien filter Wien filter, including a Wien filter body which includes: an electrostatic deflector, including at least one pair of electrodes, respective two electrodes in each pair of which are opposite to each other, each electrode including an electrode body constructed in an arc-shaped form, and respective electrode bodies of respective two electrodes in each pair of the at least one pair of electrodes being arranged concentrically with and opposite to each other in a diameter direction, and the at least one pair of electrodes being configured to generate respective electric fields by cooperation of the respective two electrodes in each pair of the at least one pair of electrodes, in the condition of respective bias voltages applied individually thereon; and a magnetic deflector, including at least one pair of magnetic poles, respective two magnetic poles in each pair of which are opposite to each other, each magnetic pole including a magnetic pole body constructed in an arc-shaped form, and respective magnetic pole bodies of respective two magnetic poles in each pair of the at least one pair of magnetic poles being arranged concentrically with and opposite to each other in the diameter direction, and the magnetic pole bodies of the at least one pair of magnetic poles in the magnetic deflector and the electrode bodies of the at least one pair of electrodes in the electrostatic deflector being arranged concentrically and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction, and the at least one pair of magnetic poles being configured to generate respective magnetic fields by cooperation of respective two magnetic poles in each pair of the at least one pair of magnetic poles; a resultant electric field formed collectively by all of the respective electric fields is perpendicular to a resultant magnetic field formed collectively by all of the respective magnetic fields; and each electrode is also provided with a respective first protrusion extending radially inwards from a radial inner side of the respective electrode body thereof, and each magnetic pole is also provided with a second protrusion extending radially inwards from a radial inner side of the respective magnetic pole body thereof.

A deflector for multiple electron beams includes a first electrode substrate, second to fourth electrode substrates disposed in order in parallel to each other in a first same plane which is orthogonal to the substrate surface of the first electrode substrate, a fifth electrode substrate disposed opposite to the first electrode substrate, and sixth to eighth electrode substrates disposed in order in parallel to each other in a second same plane such that they are opposite to the second to fourth electrode substrates, wherein the first to eighth electrode substrates are disposed such that they surround a space through which multiple electron beams pass.

A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

An improved source conversion unit of a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. The source conversion unit comprises a first micro-structure array including a plurality of micro-structures. The plurality of micro-structures is grouped into one or more groups. Corresponding electrodes of micro-structures in one group are electrically connected and driven by a driver to influence a corresponding group of beamlets. The micro-structures in one group may be single-pole structures or multi-pole structures. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same radial shifts from an optical axis of the apparatus. The micro-structures in one group have same or substantially same orientation angles with respect to their radial shift directions.

A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit changes a single electron source into a virtual multi-source array, a primary projection imaging system projects the array to form plural probe spots on the sample, and a condenser lens adjusts the currents of the plural probe spots. In the source-conversion unit, the image-forming means is on the upstream of the beamlet-limit means, and thereby generating less scattered electrons. The image-forming means not only forms the virtual multi-source array, but also compensates the off-axis aberrations of the plurality of probe spots.

The present disclosure describes an image forming element having a semiconductor chip with micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) devices and voltage generators, each voltage generator being configured to generate a voltage used by one or more of the MEMS devices. A floating ground may be used to add a voltage to the voltage generated by the voltage generators. The semiconductor chip may include electrical connections, where each voltage generator is configured to provide the voltage to the one or more MEMS devices through the electrical connections. The MEMS devices may define a boundary in the semiconductor chip within which the MEMS devices, the voltage generators, and the electrical connections are located. Each MEMS device may generate an electrostatic field to manipulate an electron beamlet of a multi-beam charged particle microscope. The MEMS devices may be organized into groups based on a distance to a reference location (e.g., optical axis) in the semiconductor chip.

A charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets is described. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source to generate a primary charged particle beam; a multi-aperture plate having at least two openings to generate an array of charged particle beamlets having at least a first beamlet having a first resolution on the specimen and a second beamlet having a second resolution on the specimen; an aberration correction element to correct at least one of spherical aberrations and chromatic aberrations of rotational symmetric charged particle lenses; and an objective lens assembly for focusing each primary charged particle beamlet of the array of primary charged particle beamlets onto a separate location on the specimen.